Erik ten Hag provides surprise FA Cup final XI hint as Manchester United face Man City

Erik ten Hag has addressed Marcus Rashford’s chances of starting in the FA Cup final as Manchester United face Man City on Saturday afternoon.

Manchester United will face off against Pep Guardiola‘s Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, marking the last game of their season. This highly anticipated match is a rematch of the 2023 final at Wembley Stadium, where Erik ten Hag‘s side suffered a 2-1 defeat.

İlkay Gündoğan was the standout player, with some attributing United’s loss to critical errors by goalkeeper David de Gea. As the two Manchester giants prepare for another showdown, the stakes are higher than ever.

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Ahead of the tie, Ten Hag spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon and fielded questions surrounding Marcus Rashford. Ten Hag claimed that he thinks Rashford looks ready to play, which could be taken as a starting XI hint.

“He looks good,” Ten Hag said when questioned on Rashford. “That is a career, ups and downs. A down can also give you fuel, and that is what I see in training.

“He will be highly motivated, so speak with your feet. He’s highly intelligent, he’s had a big career, and I’m sure he will get over this and get more goals.”

Rashford has historically performed well against Manchester City in recent seasons, scoring a goal that has been nominated for the Premier League Goal of the Season award at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season.

However, at points in the last few months, the player has had to play second fiddle to Alejandro Garnacho and is only just returning from injury.

Although Ten Hag’s starting XI selection will not be announced until 2 pm on Saturday afternoon, there is a surprise chance he may decide to play Rashford on the left-hand side if he feels the winger is fired up enough.